Bob Sanders Released: Indianapolis Colts Cut Veteran Safety

The Indianapolis Colts have cut veteran safety and former Defensive Player of the Year Bob Sanders. Sanders was scheduled to make $5.5 million this season with bonuses that could have reached $500,000.

Sanders, once a key cog in the Colts' defensive secondary, has been plagued by injuries and has played in only nine games in the last three years.

He suffered major injuries to each of his biceps muscles in 2009 and 2010. He has also had problems with ankle and knee injuries.

"The Eraser," a nickname given by former coach Tony Dungy, had 290 tackles, six interceptions and 3.5 sacks in his seven years with the Colts. In their Super Bowl victory over the Chicago Bears in 2006, Sanders forced a fumble by Cedric Benson and intercepted a pass thrown by Rex Grossman.

One can speculate that this move was made to free up more money for the team to use to sign Peyton Manning, who, unlike Sanders, has not missed a game in his NFL career. Sanders is just shy of 30 years old and will have no trouble finding work if he can show teams that he has recovered from his injuries.